Australia Day Blog Hop – Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi! #OzRomance

We are a nation with a history of tremendous sporting achievements, despite Australia’s comparatively smaller population to that of our competitors. Aussies love to compete and we love to win. We are a sporting nation and for those of you Aussies reading this that may be rolling your eyes in disagreement can you really deny that feeling of national pride when you hear our anthem being played in an Olympic arena? Don’t you ever feel the urge to enter the office sweepstake on that first Tuesday in November for the race that stops a nation? You may not all love sport with the same passion I do but I’m sure there are times when sport has been a topic of conversation around the dining room table, bringing the family closer or in my case causing hours of great debate.

So I thought I’d use my blog day to talk about a few of Australia’s sporting traditions. Let’s start with the Boxing Day Cricket Test at the MCG, it would be remiss of me if I failed to mention at this point that Australia won the latest series in a spectacular 5-0 whitewash – Got to love beating the English! The modern era for this event dates back to the 1974/5 Ashes against England but cricket tests have been played on this day since the 1950’s.

What about the spectacular sight of the Yachts as they leave Sydney Harbour for the annual Sydney to Hobart Race or maybe the Great Ferry Race held on Australia Day is more to your liking? It always reminds me how lucky I am to live in a city with such a picturesque harbour.

I’m thinking that perhaps The Melbourne Cup, dating back to 1861, is the most well-known of all our sporting traditions. You must have seen the movie Phar Lap at some point or maybe had a peek at his unusually large heart, displayed at the National Museum of Australia? I shudder to think how many hats are purchased to wear on this day alone! All these days do have one thing in common, we as a nation join in to celebrate the occasion. I guess if there is one thing Aussies love more than sport it’s a good party.

Even some of our most famous Aussie artists knew the importance of sport in the Australian culture. Arthur Streeton painted an Australian football match set in Melbourne. S.T. Gill depicted a boxing contest on the Victorian goldfields, and there is Russell Drysdale’s painting of ‘The Cricketers’ which always makes me think of the family cricket games held in our backyard. Our playwrights have also got in on the act, David Williamson wrote The Club, a classic play based on the Collingwood Football Club. I live a stones through from Homebush Olympic Park the site of the 2000 Olympic Games and home to my beloved rugby leagues major games. I love watching footy, the more games the better. Throw in the State of Origins, Test matches and World Cup games – we are the cup holders again, and my winter is pretty full of sport.

So it’s not surprising my League of Love series is jammed packed full of sexy footy players and the women they fall in love with. The latest in my series Cassie’s Choice releases next week but is available for early download at my publisher Totally Bound. Leave a comment if my series interests you for a chance to win an eBook of Cassie’s Choice.

One night of regret and a simple lack of communication lead to two miserable years apart. What will happen when the two broken-hearted are forced to reunite? One night has haunted Cassie for over two years. After agreeing to something she didn’t feel sure about, all for the sake of a man—or more correctly, her fear of losing him, she is still consumed with thoughts of her past. Although a few years younger than her Riley Walters was all man, in and out of the bedroom. So much so that Cassie believed he would tire of her sexual inexperience quickly. For him she was just a bit of fun—he never said anything to her to make her doubt that assumption. The reason she put herself in such an uncomfortable situation in the first place – to keep him happy. Of course it didn’t help. Riley disappeared from her life and never had anything to do with her again. Now he’s back, part of her social circle, leaving Cassie to find a way to deal with the attraction she still feels for him even after two years of trying to convince herself otherwise. Riley was horrified at how much rage he felt that night. Memories of a trauma from childhood quickly surfaced – He was terrified that he was becoming a monster, just like the man from his memory. Cassandra Davies filled his mind, his every thought, his obsession. Now he’s been offered a position at the Jets Rugby League Club, and an opportunity to work alongside the people he called family, which is something he’d always dreamed of—but how will he survive being around Cassie if he can’t drag her into his arms and back to his bed and never let her leave.

Swimming 100m Freestyle Men World Championships James Magnussen Jul-13

BMX Women World Championships Caroline Buchanan Jul-13

Taekwondo Lightweight Women World Championships Carmen Marton Jul-13

Golf Men US Masters Adam Scott Apr-13

Cricket One Day Women World Cup Southern Stars Feb-13

Cycling Track Team Pursuit Men World Championships Edmonson, Hepburn,

Morgan, O’Shea Feb -13

Snowboard Snowboard Cross World Championships Alex Pullin Jan-13

Tennis Mixed Doubles Australian Open Gajdosova, Ebden Jan-13

Lawn Bowls Taylor Trophy World Championships Men’s team Dec-12

Lawn Bowls Leonard Trophy World Championships Women’s team Dec-12

Cricket Twenty20 Women World Championships Southern Stars Oct-12

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway by clicking on the link below – Great prizes to be won including $100 and 26 eBooks (some print.) Leave a comment if my series interests you for a chance to win an eBook of Cassie’s Choice.

Woo hoo Donna I too am a big sports fan I love my footy and cricket and the pride that goes with the Olympic games makes myheart sing :-) and iI also love your footy heroes and their ladies I am looking forward to Australia Day this year as I have a 4 day weekend which means rest bbqs and watching sport

Dear Donna, I’m not a sporting person yet I’m surrounded by a history of Cricket players in my family! My ex was a huge AFL supporter so learnt to enjoy the game but still my love remains with V8 racing! I love watching my girlfriend who just can’t be disturbed during any sporting season…phones off etc and I Know how passionate you have always been about footy! I think you are wonderful and your books reflect that love of the sport and maybe just a little about falling in love!! Now that is a universal sport!

The winner of the Australia Blog Hop has been announced – The $100 dollar gift voucher was won by AJ. The winner of my competition, a copy of Cassie’s Choice is Juliee Fitze :)
Thank you to everyone that left a comment I hope you all had a wonderful Australia Day.
Cheers.